Device for the installation of the cathode dome with diaphragm into the electrolytic cell



Dec. 1, 1970. E I. ADAE'V ErAL" 3,544,443

DEVICE FOR THE INSIALLATION OF THE CATHODE DOME WITH v DIAPHRAGM INTO THE ELECTROLYTIC CELL. Filed Feb. 20. 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 E. I. ADAEV ETAL 3,544,443 DEVICE FOR was ms'wuuou or was cxruona noun wrm mums! mm mm n Lnc'rRou-nq cm. Filed Feb. 20. I?

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' DEVICE F011 ran INSTALIM'ION OF THE CATHODE DOME WITH- I r PIMKRAGI IIIO 1'38 ELECTROLYTIC CELL Filed Feb; 20. 196? 5 7 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

United States Patent Office 3,544,443 Patented Dec. 1, 1970 3,544,443 DEVICE FOR THE INSTALLATION OF THE CATHODE DOME WITH DIAPHRAGM INTO THE ELECTROLYTIC CELL Evgeny Ivanovich Adaev, Ulitsa Dybenko 30, korpus 1, kv. 75; Alexandr Vasilievich Blinov, Ulitsa Gorkogo 64, kv. 13; Georgy Mikirtychevich Kamarian, Vorontsovskaya ulitsa 30b, kv. 18; Viktor Alexandrovich Novoselov, Ulitsa Vavilova 10, korpus 20, kv. 28; Vladimir Nikolaevich Suchkov, Ulitsa Marii Ulyanovoi 16, kv. 53; and Leonid Markovich Yakimenko, Abselmanovskaya Ulitsa 7, kv. 17, all of Moscow, U. .S.R.

Filed Feb. 20, 1967, Ser. No. 617,236 Int. Cl. B01k 3/00, 3/10; C22d 3/06 US. Cl. 204-279 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device for the installation of a cathode dome with a diaphragm into an electrolytic cell comprises a stand for centering the dome and connecting it with the diaphragm, and for fixing the dome to a carrying frame which in turn is connected with a hoisting-and-setting arrangement which is used for transporting the cathode dome with the diaphragm and inserting it into the electrolytic cell. The stand and cell contain positioning means to insure that the dome and diaphragm are centered with respect to the vertical axis of the electrolytic cell.

This invention relates to devices for the installation of a dome with diaphragm into an electrolytic cell, for example into an electrolytic cell for the production of sodium by the electrolysis of sodium chloride in fused halide electrolytes.

In the known devices used for the same purpose, provision is made for four vertical columns that are rigidly mounted close to the electrolytic cell and along which the frame of an electrolytic cell cathode dome with a screen diaphragm is lowered into the interelectrode gap of the electrolytic cell (cf. Alabishev et al., Sodium and Potassium, Goskhimizdat, 1959).

The principal disadvantage associated with the operation of these devices consists in that the screen is disposed unsymmetrically in the interelectrode gap when the axis of the cylindrical diaphragm does not coincide with the anode axis or with the axis of a concentric cathode, i.e. when the axes intersect or are parallel.

In this case, equalizing currents arise across the diaphragm of the operating electrolytic cell and cause current density to be distributed non-uniformly in the interelectrode gap with the resultant evolution of calcium on the cathode.

In operating electrolytic cells, routine diaphragm replacement is carried out approximately once a month, and in order to obtain the desired accuracy of a new diaphragm installation in the known devices, provision is made for guides mounted close to the electrolytic cell. When the diaphragm is lowered into the electrolytic cell the cathode dome frame slides down the guides, and the desired position of the diaphragm in the annular interelectrode gap of the electrolytic cell will be attained provided the cathode dome frame and the guides are accurately matched.

In view of the fact that the diaphragm is disposed under a fused electrolyte layer, the diaphragm position cannot be checked with a sufiicient degree of accuracy by direct measurements so that proper matching of the guides and the cathode dome frame is the sole factor responsible for the correct position of the diaphragm in the cell. Another most stringent requirement to the quality and identity of the manufacture of the guides and all the cathode dome frames in a given electrolysis shop is associated with the fact that removable cathode domes with diaphragms and frames must be interchangeable for all the elec trolytic cells of a give series.

Under hot shop conditions, the above requirements are impractical, so that diaphragms cannot be accurately installed in electrolytic cells and reduced current efficiency ensues.

Moreover, in high-capacity electrolytic cells, the substantial weight of the cathode dome and the large diameter of the electrolytic cell shell necessitate the employment of guides in the form of rigid and cumbersome metal structures which crowd the electrolytic cell top and hamper cell maintenance.

It is an object of the present invention to eliminate the aforementioned disadvantages.

It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide a device that will make it possible to obtain the desired accuracy of diaphragm installation in the electrolytic cell filled with electrolyte, will dispense with fixed guides which hamper the access to the electrolytic cell, and will ensure the interchangeability of all the cathode domees available in a given shop without resorting to machining the domes to exceptionally close tolerances.

The above object is accomplished in accordance with the present invention by providing a device for installing a dome with diaphragm into an electrolytic cell which comprises a stand for centering and assembling the cathode dome with diaphragm and also for mounting them on a carrying frame, and a hoisting and setting arrangement which is placed consecutively first above the stand with a view to engaging the frame that carries the dome with diaphragm and then above the electrolytic cell with a view to lowering coaxially the diaphragm into the interelectrode gap, said stand and said arrangement being centered in relation to the vertical axis of the electrolytic cell electrodes.

The stand of the present device may incorporate a cylinder and a plate with supports intended for imparting to the dome, carrying frame and diaphragm assembly the desired position in relation to the vertical axis of the electrolytic cell electrodes, provision being made in the plate for centering pins disposed relative to the cylinder axis in the same way as are the pins in the electrolytic cell plate.

The hoisting and setting arrangement of the present device may be made in the form of a chamber whose cavity incorporates a frame intended for securing the dome-carrying frame and capable of travelling together with the latter frame and dome along vertical guides, provision also being made in the chamber for grips mounted on the chamber and furnished with seats for centering pins.

In order to effect the travel of the frame of the hoisting and setting arrangement along vertical guides, in the guides provision is made for bushings whose channels accommodate forks mounted on the frame.

The frame of the hoisting and setting arrangement may secure the dome frame by means of fixtures made in the form of nuts that are screwed onto the bolts which connect the dome with the dome-carrying frame.

The present invention is described hereinafter with reference to the appended drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section of the assembling and centering stand of the present device;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the plate of the stand;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section of the hoisting and setting arrangement of the present device; and

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section view of the overall device according to the present invention.

The device for installing a dome with a diaphragm in an electrolytic cell comprises a stand for centering the dome, for afiixing the dome to the carrying frame and for connecting the dome to the diaphragm; a hoisting and setting arrangement which is placed consecutively first above said stand with a view to engaging said frame that carries the dome with diaphragm and then above the electrolytic cell with a view to lowering coaxially the diaphragm into the interelectrode gap, said stand and said arrangement being centered in relation to the vertical axis of the electrolytic cell electrodes.

The assembling and centering stand comprises cylinder 1 (FIGS. 1 and2) mounted on base 2; disposed on the upper edge of cylinder 1 are centering shoes 3.

Mounted above cylinder 1 on supports 4 is a plate 5, in which provision is made for centering pins 6, support screws 7, andfixing bolts 8.

One and the same templet is employed for mounting centering pins6 and 6' in plates and 5' respectively in relation to the axis of cylinder 1 and the axis of the electrolytic cell electrodes, respectively.

The design of plate 5' of the electrolytic cell is similar to that of plate 5 of the stand. For multi-electrode electrolytic cells, provision may be made in the assembling and centering stand for several cylinders.

The assembling and centering stand serves for assembling and centering cathode dome 9 with carrying frame 10 and diaphragm 11 (FIGS. 3 and 4), use being made of stays 12 to affix the cathode dome 9 to the carrying frame 10.

The hoisting and setting arrangement consists of a steel cylinder 13 defining a chamber which houses vertical guides 14, along which there travel bushings 15 with channels which accommodate forks 16 rigidly connected to a frame 17, which is furnished with fixtures 18. In order to effect the travel of frame 17 along vertical guides 14, provision is made for tackle 19. Chamber 13 isfurnished with grips whose recesses accommodate centering pins 6 and 6.

To carry out the replacement of a cathode dome, the device of the present invention operates as follows.

Cathode dome 9 is mounted in shoes 3 of cylinder 1. Frame 10 of the electrolytic cell is lowered onto plate 5 and the frame is connected to the cathode dome by means of stays 12.

. Next the hoisting and setting arrangement is placed on centering pins 6 of the assembling stand, and frame 10 with the cathode dome is secured to frame 17 of the arrangement.

At this stage, the position of the cathode dome frame in relation to the axis of the cylinder may be chosen arbitrarily.

Tackle 19 raises frame 17 of the arrangement together with cathode dome 9, and then, upon removal of shoes 3, diaphragm 11 is aflixed vertically to the cathode dome.

'Next the cathode dome with the diaphragm is raised and lowered in order to check whether. the connection has been made properly. The dome with diaphragm afiixed to the hoisting and setting arrangement is transferred onto the electrolytic cell, recesses in grips 20 being brought into coincidence with centering pins 6, and thereafter cathode dome 9 with diaphragm 11 and frame 10 are lowered into the electrolytic cell until the cathode dome frame 10 abuts support screws 7. The next step consists in disengaging frame 17 of the arrangement from frame 10 of the cathode dome, removing the arrangement, and securing the cathode dome frame 10 by means of fixing bolts 8.

To remove the cathode dome from the electrolytic cell, recourse is had to the same arrangement, but the sequence of operation steps is reversed. Cathode dome removal is ordinarily accompanied by the pollution of the shop atmosphere with sodium oxide formed when the sodium that floats up from the dome reacts with atmospheric oxygen. In order to prevent air pollution with sodium oxide, the hoisting and setting arrangement is of a closed type. With the hoisting and setting arrangement mounted on the electrolytic cell, the lip of a side suction system will be disposed within the cavity of the hoisting and setting arrangement so that sodium oxide will be suckedjrom the cavity of the arrangement, thus eliminating the danger of air pollution in the shop.

On removal of sodium oxide, the arrangement with the detached cathode dome is transferred to the screen repair department where the arrangement is disengaged from the dome.

As the relative position of the centering pins with respect to the electrodes corresponds exactly to the position of the centering pins and cylinder on the assembling and centering stand, the position of the diaphragm prior to installation should be accurately made relative to the cylinder of the assembling stand, while the setting arrangement, when used for the removal of the cathode dome from the cylinder stand or for the installation of the dome into the electrolytic cell, should be placed on guiding pins which are positioned in a similar manner in relation to the axis of the electrodes. This design of the present device provides for. accurate and correct position of the electrolytic cell diaphragm relative to the electrodes and ensures a potential difference between the cathode and the cathode dome which is conductive v to effective electrolysis.

The device of the present invention is likewise instrumental in eliminating the necessity of furnishing each electrolytic cell with cumbersome guiding structures, in solving the problem of hygienic ventilation in electrolysis shops, and in dispensing with exceptionally regiorous requirements as to the accuracy of manufacturing the elec trolytic cell elements involved in the replacement of cathode domes. The device also renders it possible to carry out perinent adjustment of the diaphragm position in the course of electrolytic cell operation.

The hoisting and setting arrangement is designed so that linear expansion arising due to heating do not interfere with cathode dome raising or lowering.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the specific embodiment thereof, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that various alterations can be resorted to without deviating from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

We claim:

-1. A device for the installation of a cathode dome with a diaphragm attached thereto into an electrolytic cell, said device comprising a stand, a carrying frame on said stand, means on said carrying frame for connecting the same to a cathode dome, a hoisting and setting ararangement removably mountable on said stand, means on said arrangement for detachable egagemnent with said carrying frame, said arrangement including means for raising and lowering said carrying frame, means on said stand for positioning said arrangement on said stand such that the cthode dome occupies a particular position with respect to said arrangement when the arrangement is engaged with the carrying frame, said cathode dome being adapted for connection with a diaphragm, and positioning means for detachably receiving said arrangement with the carrying farme, dome and diaphragm and for positioning said arrangement such that the dome and diaphragm occupy a centered position with respect to the cell.

2. A device according to claim 1 in which said stand further comprises a cylinder on which the dome rests, and a plate with supports, said means on said stand for positioning said arrangement including pins on said plate for engaging said arrangement and imparting said particular position to the dome, and to the carrying frame and diaphragm; said cell having a plate on which said arrangement is placed, said positioning means including pins on the plate of the cell for engaging said arrangement, the pins on said plate of the stand being disposed relative to the axis of said cylinder in correspondence with the position of the pins on the plate of the cell relative to the vertical axis of electrodes of the cell.

3. A device according to claim 2 in which the means for raising and lowering said carrying frame comprises a chamber; a frame mounted in said chamber for detachable attachment with said carrying frame; vertical guides displaceably supporting said frame of said arrangement, and grips rigidly connected to the chamber for engaging the pins on said plates of the stand and cell.

4. A device according to claim 3 wherein the means for raising and lowering said carrying frame further comprises means to effect the travel of the frame of the hoisting and setting arrangement along the vertical guides, the latter said means comprising bushings mounted on said guide and forks mounted on said frame of the arrangement engaged with said bushings.

5. A device according to claim 3 in which said means for detachable engagement of the hoisting and setting arrangement with said carrying frame comprises fixtures connected to said frame of said arrangement and adapted for connection With bolts which connect the dome with the carrying frame.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 765,001 7/1904 Gin 20471 1,444,787 2/ 1923 Greenawact 204225X 2,919,238 12/ 1959 Bergh 204-247 FOREIGN PATENTS 534,602 9/ 1931 Germany.

JOHN H. MACK, Primary Examiner D. R. VALENTINE, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 204245, 263 

